Beverages: Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Types

Study Notes

Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, drinks, and other potable liquids meant for human consumption are considered beverages.
Examples include beer, wine, soft drinks, fruit juices, milk, liquid dietary supplements, and packaged or bottled water.

Beverages are primarily classified into two categories: alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

These beverages contain ethanol, a type of alcohol, produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar.
The consumption of alcoholic drinks plays a significant social role in many cultures.
Alcoholic drinks are commonly categorized as beers, wines, and spirits.
The alcohol content in these beverages typically ranges between 3% and 50%.
Alcoholic fermentation is an anaerobic process driven by yeast that converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Beer is among the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drinks.
It's produced by brewing and fermenting starches primarily derived from cereal grains, most commonly malted barley, but also wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats.

Wine is an alcoholic drink made by fermenting fruit, often grapes.
Yeast consumes sugar in the fruit, converting it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat.
Wine can be made from various fruit crops but is most commonly made from grapes.

Alcohol-free or non-alcoholic drinks are versions of alcoholic drinks produced without alcohol or with minimal alcohol content.
These can be non-alcoholic mixed drinks or non-alcoholic beers.

Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula H2O, essential for all known forms of life.
It's transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless.
Water constitutes the majority of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of living organisms, serving as a solvent.

Coffee is a beverage prepared from roasted coffee beans, known for its stimulating effects due to its caffeine content.
It has a characteristic dark color, bitter taste, and slight acidity.
Coffee is the top-selling hot drink globally.

Juice is a beverage made by extracting liquid from fruits and vegetables.
It can also include liquids flavored with concentrates or biological food sources like meat or seafood.
Juices can be enjoyed as beverages or used in food and drink preparations.

Milk-based drinks utilize milk or dairy products as raw materials.
Through culturing and fermentation of lactic acid and other beneficial bacteria, these drinks are prepared by blending and adding water, sugar, sweeteners, sour agents, juice, tea, coffee, plant extracts, etc.

Tea is an aromatic beverage created by steeping cured or fresh leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant in hot or boiling water.
This evergreen shrub is native to East Asia, possibly originating in the borderlands of southwestern China and northern Myanmar.